How To Stay Motivated Even When You Don' Feel Like It.....
OK moment of truth time…
Even as a fitness coach there are times when I “don’t feel like exercising” or “Can’t be bothered” and I’d be prepared to argue with any hyper ‘I lead a perfect life fitness goo roo’ that they actually feel happy clappy like that all the time.
So given this, is it any wonder that so few people get sufficient exercise to positively benefit their health and body shape?
First things first….
DON'T rely on will power!!!
We’ve all heard of willpower or know of someone who has employed will power to attain great feats, In fact we often feel inadequate when we lack enough will power for a particular task, convincing ourselves that we failed again due to having no self-control or will power.
Will power sucks ass....
The diet industry and media has a lot to answer for here, by advocating fad diets and exercise regimes to burn those excess Christmas calories that encourage this short-term white knuckle approach.
Let me tell you willpower as a long-term sustainable means to an end is the stuff of myths.
The conscious effort and emotional energy required to sustain this approach mean that any attempts to employ it are often short lived.
So rather than ride the white knuckle ride have a go at some of these solutions:
Set positive goals
So rather than rely on will power, have a think about what it is you want and WHY you want to achieve it.
Then ask yourself “Once I have achieved that goal, what will it get me”
You could set yourself a 6 week goal to drop a dress/trouser size and your reward at the end could be to go out and buy yourself a new dress/suit or smaller pair of jeans.
Once you have established what you want, start to vision the benefits of having reached that goal.
List as many benefits as possible, the more you have the more irresistible the goal will become. What will you see, hear and feel like when you reach that goal?
Check out your internal jibber-jabber
The widespread use of ‘willpower’ is usually accompanied by pressure words such as:
- must
- mustn’t
- should
- shouldn’t
- ought
For example, how many times have you said ‘I must lose weight’ or ‘I’ve got to start exercising?’
Straight away you place yourself under pressure or refrain from doing something.
Often it’s quite simple, just replace these pressure words with “I want to” or “I will”.
So “I want to start exercising” sounds much better than “I have to” or “I must start eating properly”?
BUT is also a dream killer….
“I want to exercise four times a week BUT work is really busy at the moment”
How about we flip that word and turn it into this…
“Work is really busy at the moment BUT I want to exercise four times a week”
Rather than place an obstacle in the way turn it into a positive.
Get real
Be realistic about your current state of health and fitness.
Rather than set outrageous goals set up short term goals that are easier to smash. Build yourself up.
A goal that will stretch and challenge you while also being in the realms of possibility is the key.
You do not have to be part of that 50 percent who quit.
You can stay committed and finish strong. It is all about finding what motivates you personally.
Here are some possible motivators for you.
1. Do it for your health. Consistent exercise and healthy eating are the two very best things you can do for your health.
You will develop a strong, healthy heart, reduce your chances of many cancers, prevent diabetes, keep a sharp mind and resist dementia and avoid many of the common ailments that come with aging.
It is possible to age without decay, and the key to this is exercise and eating well.
2. Do it to look better. Appearance isn’t everything, but most of us care how we look.
A strong and healthy person just looks good. And it isn’t all physical.
Your demeanor will change as you develop the confidence that comes from the discipline of fitness. You will appear more energetic and confident because you will be more energetic and confident!
3. Do it to relieve stress. Really! It isn’t a cliché.
Exercising really does cause physical changes in your brain and nervous system that results in feelings of calmness and well-being. In fact, you may get so hooked on the mental benefits of exercise that you will crave it!
4. Do it to be strong. If you have never done focused weight training, then you literally have no idea of the total transformation that you will feel after just a few weeks.
There is nothing like bending over to pick something up that normally results in discomfort, strain and even pain, only to find out that it is a piece of cake! And by getting strong now, you reduce your risk of age-related falls and fractures because you have the core strength and balance to keep yourself stable.
5. Do it for your kids. If they see you eating healthy and being active then you instantly become a role model as to what healthy should look like. You wan't your kids to have the best life possible, you want to see them go to school, college, university, get a career, get married, have kids, be a grandparent yourself etc etc. Your family is probably 'THE' most powerful motivator there is.
It is worth taking the time to discover the powerful motivators in your life.
Don’t worry about ‘bribing’ yourself: do what it takes to get yourself moving. Find out what makes sweating worth it. Find out what you want more than that brownie.
Your health is at stake; in fact, your very life is at stake. It’s time to transform yourself.
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Everyone needs a motivator whether it's ill health or to re-build confidence and self image
Jason Brownlie
The Coach @ KEBOfit
Not ready to commit? That's cool, you can still get my FREE Fat Loss Secrets Revealed Book and join thousands of men and women who are getting back into amazing shape, improving their health and who feel more confident about themselves again.
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